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Got A Bad Cold?

I've got a terrible cold right now and a few days ago stocked up on a lot of cough sweets, painkillers and medicine to get me through the next week or so. I have used these Halls Extra Strong cough sweets previously. I mainly purchase them because they are one of the cheapest cough sweets available. I bought my latest pack in a 2-pack from a discount store for around 75p. The pack size is 33.5g with around 10 sweets per pack.

These are menthol flavoured boiled sweets which aim to help people with colds breathe more easily. I have always thought of these as being primarily aimed at clearing nasal passages rather than soothing a sore throat but the swallowing action combined with the warm menthol DOES help me personally to deal with a sore throat.

Since I last purchased these sweets they have changed shape. They used to be square with a deep crater indent in the middle with quite sharp edges. Now they are like a pillow shape stamped with the letter 'H' and are completely smooth and sleek. This is an excellent change as the sweet feels so much better in the mouth. When you suck a lot of these you need a soft edged sweet so that your tongue doesn't end up red raw!

The sweets have a sharp, menthol flavour which radiates from the sweet as soon as it starts to melt in the mouth. These are boiled sugar based sweets so they melt away slowly and have a sweet aftertaste. They start to work immediately on insertion into the mouth with a vapour action enabling you to breathe more clearly and calmly. I wouldn't say that the vapour action prevents a blocked up nose or a cough but it certainly allows me to get a deep, less painful breath. It soothes my throat because I am constantly swallowing and the menthol feels both warm and cool at the same time along the lining of the throat. It is very satisfying!

Full ingredients are listed on the side of the pack and they are marked as being suitable for vegetarians. The pack has a numerical code on the side which lists the numbers 1-5 with the 5 being circled to show that these sweets are high strength menthol. They are suitable for age 6 and over.

I personally feel these Halls Extra Strong sweets offer as much cough and cold relief as any other lozenges and yet they are probably the cheapest on the market. I will therefore buy them again in the future and would recommend them to anyone else who is unlucky enough to have caught a cold!

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Cheap relief but not for too long

I honestly don't know why everyone raves about Strepsils so much as they don't even offer me short term relief when I have a sore throat, they are just essentialy a sweet to me. I would probably be better off sucking on a Werthers Original to cure my sore throat (which incidentally are lovely). So, with Strepsils out of the question I chose to go for Halls.

This is actually a very up to the minute review because as I am typing this I am sat here in bed with a bunged up nose and sore throat, to be honest - I don't know how I made it through the day at work, but these Halls did at least provide some relief. To start off, they are cheap. Much cheaper than Strepsils at the bagain price of £0.45 (now I really am looking a cheapskate - the £4 lampshade, 30p deodorant) and Tesco currently have these at 2 for 80p. Not a massively good deal but a saving nonetheless.

They come in a small black wrapper in a pack of 9. The pack has lasted me the whole day with just one sweet left over. I don't know if this is the quantity you should have them in but at least I can be thankful that my job doesn't involve me being too vocal if you know what I mean because if that was the case I would've gone through packets of them! Inside the black wrapper, the sweets are induvidually wrapped in a thin white paper. The sweets themselves are clear in colour despite the packaging making you assume they are black and are "thick" if you know what I mean. They are square in colour and slightly thinner than a Lego brick but are still quite chunky. This is a good thing however as it takes about 10 minutes or so for it to dissolve in your mouth.

The flavour is strong and every time you breath in and out it's like it's a cold winter's day and you get a cool cough sweet type smell waft out of your mouth. The smell isn't bad to be honest (well, not in my opinion anyway) but it is strong.

Now, I know that these aren't going to cure a cold or sore throat, but are intended for relief for an hour or so. I would say an hour was pushing it, and by then I'd be reaching for another sweet but at least the soothing sensation does linger for a while in your mouth. It does a better job of unblocking your nose however and when I breathe in I sometimes feel a cool minty waft. These combind with my Kleenex balsam's (see earlier review) and my blocked nose hasn't been too bad.

To sum up, these aren't bad and again, with the price I paid I can't really complain. They deliver a nice cool sensation which is the menthol I just wish it would last a little longer. No doubt however that these are a 100x better than the useless Strepsils.

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So much for the lovely British weather, that has lasted all of afew days! Not something I have completely enjoyed to be honest as I have suffered from a bunged up nose, sore throat, sneezes and this has been on and off for weeks. The plus to this( if there is such a thing ) is that these symptoms haven't been full blown or serious, so I haven't needed any major medication. This is why I purchased this product from my local Asda store for 45p or 2 for 80p

Why did I buy this?

Im not looking for a cure just a means to an end, just to soothe my throat and nose slightly and make it more manageable. Also something that isn't expensive and pleasant to take.

How is it packaged?

10 square boiled sweet like lozenges, clear/white in colour, individually wrapped in paper with the ' Halls ' logo imprinted over it. These 10 lozenges are further wrapped in paper to form a rectangular packet.

Main colours are black and grey, with the ' Halls ' logo on the front and a picture of a lozenge next to it. Above this is the words extra strong.

Can help soothe throat and elevate blocked nasal passage due to this products menthol action.

How to use

Allow product to naturally dissolve in mouth by gently sucking on lozenge. Take one if and when needed.

How do I find them?

I think they are the right size firstly. Decent thickness, so you don't feel as if its in the mouth for afew seconds then disappears. It takes a good few minutes for me to resist the urge to bite so lasts a while. They look very much like traditional boiled sweets, but the taste makes it stand out for me. Tastes just like a mint, but with some strength to it. These aren't the type of things I could eat all the time as if they were sweets, just if and when needed. Not because they are unpleasant or too strong and overpowering, but the need just isn't there. There is some sweetness to the taste and it does linger as you would want it to as you want the menthol action to occur.

They are cool and fresh in the mouth in regards to sensation. This travels down to the back of my throat and slightly up my nose so not just confined to the one area. I find that my nose after taking them feels slightly relieved and a touch easier to breathe through, and my throat a lot more calmer and less tingly.

Easy to take, enjoyable in taste and helps with some minor cold symptoms.

Would I buy these again? Yes I would. I much prefer these to the original formulation as the original for me were too weak and not strong enough, and this ticks the box for me. They don't blow your head off, but at the same time you don't feel as if you've just bought a packet of standard mints. I don't buy things like this expecting to feel completely different and for all my blockages to be sorted out, as that's not what they are designed for. But just to tide you over while its dealable and not causing any hardship-this is a great product, readily available and cheap!

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These are handy to take out with you

When I've got a blocked nose Halls Extra Strong Lozenges are the first thing I go for. They cost around 50p for a pack of 9 and are available almost everywhere.

The pack of 'sweets' is black with Halls Extra Strong written on the front and that they have 'vapour action'. The lozenges are 9 colourless squares individually wrapped. According to a website each one contains Menthol 6.5 also flavourings, acids (E270, E330), acidity Regulators (E332, E235), glucose syrup, sucrose and water. Halls Extra contain an antiseptic to kill germs that can cause sore throats- it also has an anaesthetic to help relieve pain and throat discomfort.

The directions are to dissolve one slowly in the mouth as required. They taste really strong of menthol- strong enough to want to spit one out and to make your eyes water!

They start working straight away, I find they help with coughs, sore throats and unblock my nose. These are especially handy when I'm in an audience, I inevitably start coughing when I have to be quiet. Surprisingly these do help with a cough, I didn't think they would but they do. They help clear a bad chest as well, but the nose unblocking is the most effective for me. The effects last for a few hours before I need to unblock again.

The kids don't like them as they're too strong for them, but I don't mind them.

I would recommend them as they really do clear my head.

5 stars from me

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Halls Menthol

Recently my husband and I have both had the oncomings of a sore throat. You can tell when you are going to get one, for me I always wake up in the morning feeling really dry and with a bit of a lump in one side and then as the day progresses it turns much worse and the other symptoms seem to always join it, coughing, sneezing etc. I don't go to the doctors when I have a cold, I don't see there's much point really but what I always like to do is have some cough sweets in my bag as they seemt o be quite soothing for the throat and that's nice for at least half an hour or so. The last time I bought cough sweets all the shop had was these Halls extra strong menthe-lyptus sweets so I had to get these. These would not have been my first choice as I usually like Strepsils or Halls soothers with a bit of liquid inside but these had to do for the time being.

I am quite pleased I tried them though as I love Vicks and anything with a menthol taste/smell/effect so it was no wonder that I saw going to like these throat sweets too and wow, do they pack a punch. When they say extra strong on the packet they really do mean extra strong. Halls say that these lozenges provide relief for blocked noses, head colds, chestiness and sore throats.

The sweets (as I call them) come in a small pack, there are probably about 10 sweets in a pack but the nice thing is that each sweet is individually wrapped in a paper wrapper so you can keep the rest protected when you don't need them. The sweets are a boiled sweet variety so they are hard with no liquid centre or anything like that. They are square but have a little indentation in the middle either side, like you put a thumb print in it. The sweets are white and you can smell the menthol before you even take off the wrapping. Then, once you pop the sweet in your mouth you whole nose and throat is overtaking with a sort of stinging sensation. I love it but I think for a lot of people these lozenges would be way too strong. I think these are great for clearing a nose but I think for soothing your throat you are better off sticking to something like strepsils or Halls soothers as I don't think these are as soothing as they could be.

Adults should not eat more than 1 packet per 24 hours and to be honest with the strength of these its hard to eat one straight after another as it would be too intense. Also, the main ingredient in these is sugar so they are not amazingly good for you if you eat too many anyway but for a nice clearing effect I recommend these.

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Strong and soothing

I always like to buy some Halls soothers when I have a cold and get a sore throat as although I don't think they are the most effective sweets as soothing my throat there is something really comforting about them. Plus they taste really nice.

Last time I had a sore throat they didn't have any soothers so I plumped for some extra strong menthol ones and trust me when I say there is nothing delicious about these. Whereas with soothers I would end up just eating them as sweets these ones I only used to help my throat and for that they did a good job.

They aren't really medicinal in the traditional strength and not really suitable for really sore throats because they have no antiseptic properties but they did help to sooth my throat and make me feel a little bit better. Because these were so strong they were great at also helping my nose to feel a little clearer and not so bunged up.

Although they aren't antiseptic they do help with just lubricating my throat and helping with the dry tickly feeling that you get when you first start with a sore throat and cold. I only ended up using these for the first couple of days as my throat got progressively worse and I ended up needing something medicated to help with the pain but I wouldn't hesitate to use these again if I just had a slight cold and sore throat.

Incidentally I found one of these in my bag the other day and because I was in the car and wanting something sweet I decided to suck on it and the taste was so strong. Having a cold really does dilute the taste of them as although even with a cold they are strong I found that when I could taste them properly they were inedible.

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Have been very helpful in clearing my nose at the moment!

As somebody who is currently suffering from a rather stubborn cold I feel more than qualified to write a review of these Halls sweets now. The lozengers are designed to relieve a blocked nose, head cold, chestiness and sore throat. They do not contain any painkillers, but have active methol ingredients to clear your nose and breathing passages.

The lozengers come in a tube of 9. They currently cost 45p from Tesco, 55p from Asda and are often on offer. Each lozenger is individually wrapped in a small square of paper inside the packet. I find this more hygienic, as you don't risk touching other lozengers that you may not have, and it also means that they stay fresher for longer as they are not exposed to air until unwrapped. The papers can be a little fiddly to get out of the tube and open, but no more than any other product.

The active ingredients in the lozengers are Menthol 0.52% w/w, Eucalyptus Oil 0.26% w/w. The lozengers themselves don't have a particularly strong smell. They can feel a little cold in your mouth, but after a few minutes you can feel the methol ingredients getting work and if you breath in you can feel your nasal passages starting to clear. I found that each lozenger lasts around 5-10 minutes, depending on whether you just let it sit in your mouth or suck on it. The effect doesn't last for all that long, however it gives a little relief from what is a very unpleasant feeling. I have found I can stay clear for around 30 minutes per lozenger during my current cold.

It's not a very attractive list, being full of sugar and e-numbers, however they do a good job at unblocked your nose and airways and when I'm feeling unwell I'm quite happy to have a couple of sugary lozengers for a little respite from a very blocked nose!

Overall, I would recommend these. I'm sure you could find stronger lozengers, however for around 50p these are good at what they do and don't cost a fortune. They are available in most supermarkets, chemists and if you are willing to pay more petrol stations and convenience stores.

4/5 from me - as they contain a lot of sugar and e-numbers.

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==Overview==

Halls throat lozengers in Extra Strong are a brand of lozenger used for sore throats. Except I rarely use them when my throat is sore as they don't numb the pain of a sore throat in the same way that Strepsils do. However, Halls Extra Strong are always in my bag due to their amazing menthol/eucalyptus capacity. If I have a stuffy nose, none of the other Halls/Strepsils/Lockets etc. come close to the menthol power held by 'extra strong'. The menthol in them really does help me to shift my blocked nose and sinus pain. I find the blackcurrant, honey, cherry etc. have a small amount of menthol in them and do the job to keep your throat moist but don't do anything for a blocked nose.

==Value for money==

At around 70p per pack in some chemists, these little lozengers aren't cheap! You can pick them up cheaper in the summer and they tend to be cheaper in supermarkets. The only problem with keeping them for that long (assuming you get poorly in the winter months with colds) is that they tend to get quite sticky in their little wrappers. If you can get them for around 40p a pack, they aren't too bad but can cost a fair bit if you go through numerous packs.

==What else do I use them for?==

Well it sounds like I nibble on these little suckers quite a bit, and that would be correct. I occasionally have hot/dizzy spells and having access to something with sugar and something that clears my nose and relieves the dizzyness really helps. Equally, during hayfever months, these are super for clearing a stuffy pollenated nose and if you crunch them down you can give your mouth and back of your throat a good itch with them (only hayfever sufferers will understand that). I also used them to help me settle my stomach if it feels a bit dodgy, the cool, calming feeling they give really helps to settle it. I also use them to help stave off morning sickness at the moment. All in all, these are a great all rounder and I am never without a packet, sticky or not !

==Overall==

One of my favourite "health" products and one I am never without. Best menthol product by far. They put Extra Strong mints in the shade. Some folks might not like how strong they are as until you get used to them they can make your eyes water!

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Worth a try as they're cheap

I bought this flavour of Halls once when I couldn't see the cherry ones of the shelf.

Unfortunately I am not keen on the taste of these black ones. They taste far too menthol for my liking and I often have to spit them out as they are too strong. However their strong taste does have an advantage. These black ones are great for clearing stuffy noses. Their added vapour action really gets up your nose unblocking it and helping you to breathe better. This is the main benefit of these black lozenges.

Going back to the taste of these lozenges, they also taste a little too sugary for my liking. They're not actually sugar free so they could be potentially bad for the teeth if you consume too many of them.

They do help to soothe my throat though and they take away that itchy feeling that you get in the back of your throat when you're suffering from a dry tickly cough. They help with sore throats too but they leave a horrible aftertaste in your mouth after dissolving which puts me off using them. I'd rather use Strepsils as at least I know that they taste nice.

I would recommend these if you're just looking for something to unblock your nose. They're cheap too at around 50p per pack.

Worth a try.

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the first cough sweet I look for

When I have a cold or flu like symptoms I always go to the medicine isle in Tesco's and try and pick myself up some cough sweets, I have found that Halls Extra Strong cough sweets are really good at clearing my head when I have a blocked nose and chesty cough and just feel congested in general.

It is really easy to take Halls Extra Strong cough sweets you simply allow one to dissolve in your mouth slowly, this is similar to taking any other cough sweet on the market.

They get straight to work quite quickly because they are so strong and they have a real minty strong taste to them. The minty taste is very strong, but when you are feeling congested, it is actually quite a nice taste in my opinion, though they don't taste as nice as Halls Soothers, they work much better so it is best to try these cough sweets in my opinion.

These cough sweets are said to use 'vapour action' which helps you feel less congested and helps your chesty cough, you can certainly feel and taste the strong menthol working in your mouth and head when you are eating one of these sweets, which is quite relieving when you are feeling unwell.

One disadvantage about these sweets is that they do not have any antiseptic qualities, so if you have a really nasty sore throat that is infected, these sweets will not do much to relieve it, and you would be better to buy an antiseptic cough sweet brand such as strepsils.

You can buy Halls Extra Strong in Tesco for around 50p for 9 sweets, which is quite a good deal in my opinion as a packet normally last me around 2 days. You should never take more than a packet of these sweets in 24 hours according to the packet.

Overall I think that these sweets are quite good, they aren't as good as medicine, but they are certainly one of the better cough sweets on the market for relieving congestion. They however do not have any antiseptic qualities to get rid of bacteria and because of this I can only award them 4 out of 5 stars.

*also on ciao under lorrainek90

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Extra strong cough sweets

~Halls Extra Strong~***************

Surprisingly when I wanted to review Halls Extra Strong Mentho Lyptus Sweets here on Dooyoo they were not listed so a product suggestion was made for them yesterday, along with a number of other similar products that I have been using to help clear my airways and ease my cough, as I felt it would be good to write about them with thoughts about how well they work being fresh in my mind. As cough and cold products have been my best friends recently due to having been struggling with a very nasty cough, cold and sore throat that is hanging around for longer than I would like, I feel more than able to share my thoughts about these sweets which I feel have been of help with their clearing and soothing action.

I topped up my supply of cough and throat sweets and picked up another pack of Halls Extra Strong menthol based sweets along with some of the Ice Cool ones that I spotted on the shelves as I have found them to be of benefit. I find that these particular Extra Strong Halls throat sweets are a little stronger than the rest of the range and as such they will certainly help to clear blocked noses and ease congestion to a greater degree than many similar rival brands can. These Halls sweets have had to work really hard as I have struggled with gaining much benefit from any form of cough or throat sweet recently. Even so I have found that the brief respite offered by taking one of these sweets gives me a few minutes rest from almost constant coughing which I find very welcome.

~Just how strong is extra strong?~***************************

As this variety is marketed as being extra strong you would of course expect them to have a little extra kick about them that makes them stand out from the rest of the range and I feel that in use they do have a slight edge over some of the other Halls throat sweets, although I have found the cooling and refreshing Ice Cool version that Halls make are becoming a favorite variety at this time. When wanting to pop one of these Halls throat sweets into your mouth it is very easy to take a sweet out of its paper wrapper without harming any of the other sweets in the paper tube as each one comes packed into a small square of paper.

The sweets can become a little sticky if the pack is left opened and unused for too long, so I never use a pack of these unless I am certain I will need to take a number of them over the course of a few days. I have tried folding the outer paper wrapper over the edge of the pack to stop that happening with limited effectiveness so my best advice would be to open and use the pack within a few days to ensure they are at their best. As soon as the strong menthol and eucalyptus flavourings and resulting vapors begin to work their magic I begin to notice the difference a little, with them giving off a refreshing cooling feeling that soothes a sore throat for a short while.

These sweets are quite good at helping to clear the air ways if you have a blocked nose and the soothing action helps with a sore throat at the same time. Recently my taste buds have gone on strike due to my blocked nose and I have not really been able to taste these as much as usual although they are still giving some small benefit when I take one. I do still sense a refreshing clearing sensation when I take one of these sweets that does help to stop that nasty tickle that you get every now and then at the back of your throat which ultimately causes you to cough. Any respite from that is more than welcome and these sweets do work well at calming things for s short while.

~Price and rating~**************

Having bought a pack of these along with some of the other Halls sweets I found them readily available at the supermarket, as well as in chemists and other small stores. Prices seem to sit at 50p per tube although I have seen these on sale at the petrol station for as much as 75p a tube which I feel is rather over priced. As far as rating these goes, I feel that they do work well although they have rather a high sugar content which may make them unsuitable for some people to take. My over all rating for these extra strong Halls sweets is 4 stars as I feel they work well , giving a soothing clearing action that is helpful.